A part of 4.2: Lightning Talk session.

“A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words”: Preparing Future Nurses to Effectively Communicate Health-Information with Infographics

Zoraida Beekhoo, Associate Professor, Teaching Stream, Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing
Charlene Chu, RN, GNC(c), PhD, Assistant Professor, Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing
Lindsay Jibb, RN, PhD, CPHON, Assistant Professor, Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing
Neal MacInnes, Academic Information and Communication Technology Supervisor, Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing

Infographics serve as an effective way to present complex data in a visual format that is compelling, provides rapidly available information, and is directly useful for decision-making purposes. Within a health sphere, infographics provide a platform for visually and effectively communicating data and information to stakeholders—including patients, clinicians, and policymakers—in a way that may be more compelling than traditional research papers or data sets.

In response to the COVID – 19 pandemic in which all undergraduate courses were required to adapt to remote delivery, we developed an entirely online infographic assignment for final year nursing students. The focus of this assignment was to engage students to: identify important health issues, consider multi-level solutions, and communicate information to relevant stakeholders using visual storytelling for maximum impact.

In this session we will discuss the methods used to: (1) develop this assignment, (2) support students in understanding assignment objectives and requirements; and (3) navigate the technical aspects of engaging students and assessing the product in an online environment. Perceived strengths and challenges of an online infographic assignment will also be reviewed—including those expressed by students. Finally, we will provide insights into how this assignment may be tailored to the needs of other disciplinary contexts or modes of delivery.